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The hotel….

My Dad reminded me the other day That I promised I would tell you all about THE hotel at phoenix, the one we stayed at when we went traveling in Jan 2015.

And so I shall.

Lets begin.

We had been driving all day, and everywhere I googled was full.. Sounding familiar;) We passed a place which was, at best, a run down shack. And by the looks of it better known for other, more illegal, things rather than a hotel.

Having driven around, we found a road with a few hotels, and passing down pulled into a driveway of one. We should have driven away as soon as we pulled up, but we didn’t, and I went into the lobby. It was only for one night and we were all tired, so we booked it.

Well. Upon opening the door to the rooms we were almost flattened by the smell we faced. It was awful. It mixture of mouldy musty sweaty stale air knocked us over. The bathroom was cleaned possibly earlier that year, and maybe the carpet too.

There was a chair in the corner that came off the ark, and one window in the wall which gave us enough light to squint and see the horrid wallpaper.

We all agreed it was not the best in the world. But had booked and paid. And our stomach told us that we better find something to eat. As we walked out of the hallway we ran into some people who quickly finished their business” transaction, and fled. In opposite directions.

We sought shelter in the loving arms of an “islands” restaurant up few streets away, and there thought about all the ways we could possibly avoid going back to the hotel.

Perhaps we could sleep on the benches there? Or lock ourselves in the restrooms for the night?

But alas, with large bellies, and rather larger fears of what lay ahead of us, we retreated back to the hotel. And began our night.

We said goodbye.. I mean.. good night.. In the hallway. I gave my parents an extra big hug, thanked them for raising me, and with a tear, went inside.

We got ready for bed. I was positive there was bed lice. Seth told me it was fine. So I shuffled in.

We lay there. Me pondering how we were ever going to get home when its certain that the car would be stolen by the morning. Seth making jokes about the lingering smell.

Then began the noise. From next door.

Now, look. I understand couples have arguments, but my word, this was something else. So for the next 2 hours we listened to whole conversation of who had said what and when and how and who cheated on who.. We both went in and out of sleep.. Waking when the woman reached the decibel of 1893.

Well apparently forgiveness much have ensued shortly after, because another loud noise came from behind our heads, complete with thuds and all.

Seth mumbled something about giving it a break, and we tried to get back to sleep… It was 3am. We had survived this far.

The sleep was short-lived, when at 4am I heard two men, ridiculous drunk, tried to open out hotel door with their key.

I sat bolt up right it bed. Heart racing. They sounded like they were charging the door. I elbowed Seth, who woke up with a start.

SOME ONE IS TRYING TO GET IT?! I silently yelled.

“What the HECK it that noise?!” He says.

It stops.

We wait. In the dark.

DUDE, Drunk one says. IS THIS EVEN OUR ROOM?!

I can assure you, sir, that it is not, said the voice in my head.

MAYBE NOT. Drunk man two replies.

They stop the terror attack on our door, and proceed to laugh all the way down the hallway, banging on every possible surface.

We turn and stare at each other.

4;30 am and still clinging to life. We lay back down.

By this stage, with little sleep had, and several heart attacks under my belt, I am tired and grumpy. I slowly drift off to sleep.

7am comes around and the ridiculous piece of TP they have hanging near the window, which I assume is meant to be a curtain, not only blocks NO light but in some magical way somehow creates more.

We awake. Me, to tiredness but overall relief, Seth to the sound of some kind of commotion under our window.

I turn to him. We are leaving. Pack up. I’m done.

He laughs. But agrees.

Now, they had said something about providing a breakfast. So Seth comments that while I scramble around packing, he is going to eat. He goes down the hallway to the breakfast “room”.

I while later I hear a knock at the door.

Sweet mercy He’s been shot. My head voice says.

I open, and see my parents.

Sweet tears of joy fill my eyes.

We hug. The reunion is sweet.

We make comments about out nights and on earth was going on in the hall way. Dad says that they heard some kind of siren this morning.

Seth returns. Laughing. Informing us that the breakfast “room” is a corner in the lobby. And that it offers us the stunning choice of stale corn flakes, pre frozen muffins, canned orange juice and some kind of liquid he assumes is coffee.

Thinking that starvation is the better choice, we refrain from partaking.

We pack and walk out to the car park to find two things;

One, much to our surprise, our car has remained in tack. I say a prayer of thanks.

Two; there is two police cars, three police man and some people hand cuffed on the ground.

We turn back to our car.

You have never in your life seen such speedy packing of a car and such an amazing car maneuvering as you did in that moment.